Fun Facts About Edmonton & Winter!

16/12/2014 13:21

Never lived in a winter climate? Not sure what it’s like living with a lot of snow for part of the year? We explain some common myths and give some winter-related advice!

1) It’s okay to wear sunglasses in winter - in fact it’s stylish.Edmonton gets an average of 325 sunshine-filled days every year. Lots of people wear sunglasses throughout the winter and they pair pretty well with a winter hat!

2) You can see your breath. When it gets below 0° C (or 32° F) and you walk outside in winter, your breath will fog up. If you wear glasses, these will fog up sometimes once you’re back inside a warm building. There’s nothing wrong with this - it’s actually really cool and most students that experience it for the first time are happily surprised.

3) There are pedways (indoor bridges) all over campus. When it gets really cold, you can get around campus via pedways and avoid going outside. These are above-ground,enclosed, heated, walkways that connect many buildings at UAlberta.

4) Some people still bike around the city in winter. This might sound surprising, but it’s true! Edmonton is a very active city and a lot of people ride their bicycles year-round, usually with thicker “winter” tires attached during the colder months.

5) We have a lot of hares! Around Edmonton (and campus) you’ll see a lot of wild hares, which look like rabbits and are white in winter.

6) People plug in their cars & have remote car starters. It is common for people in Edmonton to plug in their cars when it gets below zero to ensure their cars run smoothly in colder weather. People also love remote car starters here! This means that they can turn on their car from a distance, without being in the car.

7) You can walk, hike and run all around Edmonton in winter.City streets and sidewalks are shoveled and cleared of snow by city workers on a regular basis. If you are an active person, there are a lot of winter trails in the river valley and parks that are safe and fun to walk or run through during winter.

8) People build things out of snow and ice just for fun. Snow isn’t just a part of our winter weather here in Edmonton, it’s also a lot of fun! Many people build things out of snow and ice like a “snow man” or a “snow fort” all over the city and on the UAlberta campus. There is even an ice carving festival that happens every January!